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Gunners could return to 4-4-2.Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has spoken to the club’s official website about where new signing Alexis Sanchez will fit into his side, hinting at a change of formation.

The Gunners boss was known for always playing 4-4-2 up until around 2009, when he switched to a 4-3-3 and later to a fluid 4-2-3-1 in recent seasons.

However, the £32m addition of Sanchez from Barcelona could mean Wenger is open to finding new ways to fit him in, suggesting he could play out wide or as a lone striker in Arsenal’s current formation, or even alongside Olivier Giroud in a two-man strike force.

Sanchez has played in a variety of roles throughout his career, usually playing wide on the right during his time at Barcelona, but upfront for his national side Chile, where he shone at this summer’s World Cup.

The 25-year-old scored 21 goals in all competitions last season and has shown he can find the back of the net from a variety of angles and distances, and his all-round ability in attack should give Wenger a very welcome headache as he prepares to set up his team for the challenges of next season.

Speaking about Sanchez’s position, the Frenchman said: “He can play through the middle, he can play on both flanks and he has the qualities that I think are needed in England. He’s brave, works hard and all these qualities together made me go for him.

“At the moment he might play on the flank because Walcott is injured. As well [he can play] through the middle in some games; we can play with Giroud, we can play without Giroud in a 4-4-2 or in a 4-3-3.”